The William Chrisman football team didn't come away from North Kansas City High School with a victory Thursday night, but coach John Crutcher and his Bears might have gained something even more valuable.

"We learned we can play for four quarters – for the first time this season," Crutcher said after his squad suffered its 17th consecutive loss, falling 21-18 to the Hornets on a 9-yard touchdown run by quarterback Marcus Jones with just 52 seconds left

"Sure, it hurts to lose at the end like that, but we can walk out of here with our heads held high because of the way we battled. And we're going to use the momentum we got tonight next Friday when we play Belton."

It appeared for a brief moment that the Bears (0-5, 0-3) Suburban Middle Seven Conference) might claim their first win as sophomore quarterback Gannon Ogle hit Alex Ball on a 55-yard pass that gave Chrisman a first down at the Hornets’ 5 with just more than 3 minutes left.

Three plays later, Crutcher designed a play that fooled everyone in the Northtown Stadium as Ogle deftly handed the ball to wide receiver Austin Peed on a perfectly executed flanker reverse that allowed him to run into the end zone untouched.

"I have to turn my back to the defense and keep it close to my chest, then give it to Austin," Ogle said. "It was perfect."
While Peed ran into the end zone, the entire Hornets’ defense gang tackled Kreig Jarnagin.

While the deception played a big role in the score, it was the 55-yard bomb that gave the Bears an opportunity to take the lead.

"That was the greatest catch," Ogle said of Ball's reception as he battled a Hornet defender near the sideline and then carried two defenders nearly 15 yards.